PROTO: *bići ~ *biči
MEANING: 1 jewel 2 pearl 3 brooch 4 original, extravagant, graceful 5 pretty (children's word) 6 element in words for 'godparent', 'godchild'
BZK: bitxi 2, pitxi 1, 5, -bitxi 6
GIP: pitxi 1, 5
ANV: pitxi 1
BNV: bitxi 4
LAB: bitxi 4, pitxi 5, -bitxi 6
RNC: bitxi 3
COMMENTS: The oldest attested uses of the word (15th-16th c.) refer to jewels of great price. This, and the use of *-biči in aita-bitxi ‘godfather’, etc. (ama-bitxi, seme-bitxi, alab-itxi), match well with the NC meanings ‘rich’ and ‘honor(able)’. The ‘god-(parent, -child)’ usage is probably calqued on Romance forms like Fr. beaupère ‘godfather’. Palatal /č/ by expressive palatalization and/or position between two /i/s; the form pitxi by expressive devoicing.
